KOTA KINABALU: The Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan electoral pact for the upcoming Sabah polls should not have been announced using the official letterhead of the unity government secretariat, says Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.
“Such an act does not reflect a consensus from all coalition parties,” said the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) deputy secretary-general.
Referring to the move by unity government secretariat chief Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki and Pakatan secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, which Armizan described as triggering unnecessary political tension in Sabah, including reactions from GRS chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
“While political cooperation is every party’s right, announcements involving only two coalitions should not be made under the unity government banner. That platform must reflect the collective stance of all member parties,” he said at a media gathering on Friday (May 16).
He stressed that official unity government letterhead and logos should only be used when there was full agreement from all parties in the coalition.
Armizan therefore, urged greater caution in future communications and questioned whether similar statements would be issued for elections in other states such as Sarawak.
“We must respect the uniqueness of state-level political landscapes, particularly in Sabah, Sarawak, Melaka, and Johor. If stability is the goal, mutual respect is essential,” he added.
Armizan also defended GRS, saying that even if some view it as a small vessel, “With God’s will, it carries enough strength to reach its destination.”
